2011 Men's Water Polo Season Preview

With 99 percent of the Beavers scoring offense returning to the pool along with a deeper roster the Caltech men's water polo program is looking for a more competitive edge in 2011.

"We have an abundance of experience on the roster," said fourth year head coach Josh Moser. "This squad has the potential to be one of the deepest and most talented squads in recent memory for Caltech."

Leading the charge on the offensive side of the pool will be Jack Blackwood. As a sophomore last season he scored a team best 65 goals in addition to being the league's top goal scorer in conference games. The native of Rancho Palo Verdes, Calif., also drew a team best 53 exclusions.

"Jack is one of the best scorers in the SCIAC. He has really matured over the past few years and I'm excited to see what he can do with another year of skill under his belt," Moser said.

Adam Khan will help with the offensive load for the Beavers after scoring 22 goals while dishing out a team best 17 assists a year ago. Khan also proved to be a valuable asset on the defensive end after tallying a team best 22 steals during the 2010 campaign. The final double digit scorer from 2010 was Daniel Sexton. In his junior campaign Sexton found the back of the net on 17 occasions while drawing 21 exclusions. Both marks were good enough for third best on the squad.

"Adam and Daniel will be looked upon for not only scoring offense but for leadership as well," Moser said. "They are two of our more experienced players in the pool and I expect them to take on a greater responsibility this season."

Caltech will also look to a strong group of returners to help shoulder the load on both sides of the pool. Last season Thomas Kwong had a nice season with six goals, five assists and eight steals. The final returning goal scorers from last year are Joshua Hardenbrook and Tim MacDonald who both scored two goals in 2010.

"There is enough ability and depth on this team to have six or seven players score at least 10 goals this season. In addition to our returning player we have some new faces that could have a major impact," Moser said.

On the defensive end of the pool Thomas Heavy returns as the primary goalie for the Beavers. The senior had a team best 58 blocks last season during his first stint between the pipes.

"With a year under his belt Thomas should be an improved goalie. Make no mistake about it; our defense must be better this year. If we can get a more consistent effort on the defensive end of the pool, we will see better results," Moser said.

The Beavers schedule will, once again, be one of the toughest in the nation. Caltech will play nine of the 10 teams ranked in the preseason CWPA poll. In addition, three of the top five teams in the preseason rankings compete in the SCIAC.

"We are going to play some really good competition this year and if we are going to be up to the challenge we have to practice hard and stayed focused when get into the pool," Moser said.

See Coach Moser's Video Preview --